The Tohickon Golden Eagle
February 2022
THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR BEGINS
Dear Tohickon Families,
During the month of January, Dr. Fash and I met with all of the grade levels to have a mid-year check in, reiterating key expectations and discussing the importance of maintaining an academic focus as we move into the spring. During our ninth-grade meeting, we reviewed all of the great events students have to look forward to during the second half of the year such as the DC Trip, Freshman Dance and Freshman Day. We emphasized to students how it is easy to lose academic focus during the second half of the ninth-grade year and provided some strategies to help them stay motivated during the winter months.
The second semester began on Monday, January 31. As we move into the month of February, we will be finishing up the program planning process, preparing for our Math Midterms, gearing up for the spring musical and finalizing our 6th Grade Orientation Presentation, which will take place on March 3.
In addition to these events, the CBSD Middle Schools will be sponsoring a presentation titled “Minding Your Mind” on February 15 at Holicong Middle School, from 7:00 until 8:30 PM. “This interactive presentation is an introduction to mental health, designed to train parents and caregivers on how to recognize the warning signs of stress, anxiety, depression and crisis.” During the presentation, featuring Clinician Sheila Gillin, attendees will hear about mental health stigmas, causes of stress/anxiety, coping skills, mental health warning signs and ways to “help a youth who is experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis.” The program will be available in person and live stream. I have included a flyer below with all of the details.
The Math Mid-Term will be administered in most of our math classes on Wednesday, February 9th. Students should prepare by eating well and getting a good night’s sleep. The Math Mid-Term will assess students’ understanding of the math concepts taught during the first half of the school year. Students in need of help should seek out their math teacher during the intervention and enrichment period or during resource. Students in need of more extensive assistance will be asked to attend an intervention session with their math teacher.
On behalf of our staff and administration, we wish all of you a fantastic month! If you have any questions regarding the contents of this newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact the main office at 267-893-3300 or the guidance office at 267-893-3310. Best wishes!
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton
Tohickon Principal
FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The events for the month of February are as follows:
February 1st
- 8th Grade Students attend 2022-2023 Program Planning Assembly.
February 2nd and 3rd
- 8th Grade Students choose electives for 9th Grade.
February 4th through 8th
- 7th and 8th Grade Teachers will hold individual student conferences to discuss placement for 2022-2023.
February 9th
- Math Midterms in most math classes.
February 15th
- Minding Your Mind Presentation at Holicong MS - 7PM until 8:30PM.
February 17th
- Parent Council Meeting at 9:00 AM (Virtual).
February 18th and 21st
- No School for students. Presidents' Day Weekend.
March 3
- Sixth Grade Parent Orientation (Open House begins at 6:30 PM).
FROM THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE
PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO NOTIFY THE SCHOOL OF ANY ABSENCE, LATENESS OR EARLY DISMISSALS THROUGH THE PARENT PORTAL. Excused absences include illness, death in the immediate family, inclement weather that would jeopardize the safety of the student, religious holidays, home emergencies directly related to the student, health care of the student which cannot be arranged outside of school hours, and educational trips or family travel under the conditions outlined as per the School Board Policy. Please use the parent portal rather than send your child with a written absentee notice. If an absence has not been entered through the parent portal or call has not been received within one week of the absence, it will remain marked as unexcused. We strongly encourage submitting a doctor note if your child has missed three or more days of school or has missed school due to a scheduled appointment. Doctor notes can be emailed to dmeadows@cbsd.org.
Ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification will be permitted during a school year. Absences beyond ten (10) days require an excuse from a physician. In cases when a physician’s note is required, absences not documented by a physician’s note will be considered unlawful.
Vacation
Children may also be excused from school for educational tours or trips, which are defined as non-school sponsored trips taken by the student with immediate family members in attendance. Only two (2) separate absences for family travel will be excused, and the TOTAL number of days missed must not exceed five (5) days. Days exceeding these guidelines will be considered unlawful and/or unexcused. It is the responsibility of the student to let teachers know and obtain work prior to the absence in order to keep pace with class progress.
Lateness
A student is considered late if they are not in their seat in 1st period by the second bell at 7:30 AM. Students must report to the office (with a note from their parent/guardian explaining their lateness) to receive a late pass in order to gain admittance to class. Such reasons as missing the bus, oversleeping, etc. are not valid excuses for lateness. On the third unexcused tardy, an administrative conference will be arranged. If the problem persists, stronger measures may be taken. Late time may be accumulated and count toward unlawful absences from school.
RX FUNDRAISING
If you have not registered yet, please help Tohickon raise funds by registering below:
support.rxfundraising.com/TohickonMS
Thank you for taking a minute to register!
Vaping & Nicotine: Health Impacts on Adolescent Health and Learning
Unami Middle School is hosting David Fialko (Southeast Council) on 2/22 for his Vape and Nicotine assemblies. He is also doing a virtual parent evening for us on that date at 7:00 PM. Please click the following link if you are interested:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LRUKoYayTPmAknimVp9qgA
Parent Council
We will be holding our monthly Parent Council Meeting on Thursday, February 17th beginning at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be virtual and, for those that would like to attend, we will be sending out registration information at the beginning of that week. As always, we will have a featured presentation, followed by a period for questions and discussion. We hope to see you there!
Tohickon students and teachers enjoyed our January author visit with sports journalist and author Mike Sielski. He has been a sports columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Inquirer.com since 2013 and in 2015 The Associated Press Sports Editors voted him the top sports columnist in America. He spoke to Tohickon’s students about his career as a journalist, what game day looks like for him at Veterans Stadium, the process of writing and publishing books, in addition to answering their many questions about the famous athletes he has interviewed. Mr. Sielski is the author of three books, including his newest "The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality" and "Fading Echoes: A True Story of Rivalry and Brotherhood from the Football Field to the Fields of Honor."
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Winter is in full swing and so is cold season! Please remember to keep your child home with a fever or when they are sick. The pandemic is still here and COVID symptoms mimic other illnesses. Always reach out to your physician when there are concerns about how to handle an illness. Your child may carry a personal supply of cough drops but any other medication requires a physician order. Reach out with any questions or if you need help obtaining the proper forms.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INCOMING 7TH GRADERS
It is an exciting time as you begin to think about your child’s transition to middle school! As you plan upcoming physical or dental appointments, please keep in mind there are some Pennsylvania State Mandated Requirements. Your child needs a Tdap and meningitis vaccine prior to the start of the new school year, along with an updated dental exam. You may send the information to your elementary school nurse or directly to Tohickon Health Office. Our fax number is 267-893-5819 Attn: School Nurse or email Sheila Kelly at shkelly@cbsd.org. If you would like to discuss any health conditions your child has feel free to call, and I look forward to meeting you at 6th grade orientation!
FROM THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Spring sports begin March 21st! Registration is now open for all 7th and 8th graders that would like to play a sport at Tohickon. Spring sports include: Softball, Baseball, Girls Soccer, Girls and Boys Track and Field, Girls and Boys Lacrosse. Registration is completed online. Directions can be found at: Sports Registration Directions. Registration deadline is March 18th. We are looking forward to many students participating in spring sports this year. Please encourage your child to get involved. Reach out to Athletic Director Ken Hall at khall@cbsd.org with any questions about spring sports. We are looking forward to a great spring sports season!
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
Guidance Office: 267-893-3310
- Mrs. Judy Jacob (jujacob@cbsd.org) - Secretary
- Mrs. Mary Kate Schrack (mschrack@cbsd.org) - Counselor (Tuesday/Thursday/Friday)
- Mrs. Diane Schute (dschute@cbsd.org) will be working with those students with last names from A-Le.
- Mr. Joseph Stryker (jstryker@cbsd.org) will be working with those students with last names from Lf-Z.
PROGRAM PLANNING INFORMATION for 2022-2023
9th Grade
· Students enter their course requests in the portal by Sunday evening, February 6th.
· Counselors will meet individually with all 9th grade students during Science classes to review their course requests. All students will meet with a counselor before the end of February.
· Verifications of course selections will be posted on the Portal on March 18th.
· Verifications must be electronically confirmed by Parents/Guardians by March 30th.
· No changes to course requests will be accepted after April 1st.
8th Grade
· Students select electives during Science classes February 2nd and 3rd.
· Verifications of course selections will be posted on the Portal on February 23rd.
· Verifications must be electronically confirmed by Parents/Guardians by March 1st.
7th Grade
Students who would like to Add or Drop Chorus, Band or Orchestra for 8th grade must stop by the guidance office or email a Guidance counselor by February 4th to request the change.
· Verifications of course selections will be posted on the Portal on February 11th
· Verifications must be electronically confirmed be Parents/Guardians by February 17th.
6th Grade
Middle School Orientation for parents of sixth graders will be held on Thursday, March 3rd. Please join us to learn everything you ever wanted to know about middle level education and more. Additional information including a link to the presentation is forthcoming.
Club Spotlight: Forensics Club
“In forensics club this month, Detective Larkin came in to talk with the students about his role in solving crimes! He discussed the importance of using DNA to convict guilty or to free innocent. He also showed students how to collect DNA and students practiced collecting samples! It was great having Detective Larkin visit and we look forward to having him in again to talk about/demonstrate how to collect and analyze fingerprints in the future!”
Spanish Enrichment
In December, Spanish teacher Haley Donohoe provided enrichment during I & E to interested students who learned about and made their own año nuevo dolls, a tradition in Ecuador, to represent the old year. In Ecuador, people burn the dolls at midnight to signify a fresh start to the year.
Tohickon Middle School
Email: kmarton@cbsd.org
Website: cbsd.org/tohickon
Location: 5051 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-3300
Twitter: @CBTohickonMS